Educational Philosophy and Goals

Elizabethtown College engages students in a dynamic, integrated
learning process that blends the liberal arts and professional
studies. Challenged to take responsibility for their education,
students at Elizabethtown embark on a journey of
self-transformation that involves intellectual, social, and
personal growth.

The College is committed to educating the whole person within a
relationship-centered learning community where common goals are
achieved through engagement in a rigorous academic curriculum and
thoughtful co-curricular experiences. Students are encouraged to
develop and challenge their own values, while seeking to understand
and appreciate alternative perspectives. Embedded in an
ever-changing global context, the College promotes the
developmental, collaborative and complex nature of learning.

In seeking to "educate for service," Elizabethtown College
believes that students can perform no greater service than they do
when sharing knowledge and creativity with others. Opportunities to
strengthen scholarship and leadership extend beyond the classroom,
and students learn actively through practical experiences and civic
engagement.

The impact of an Elizabethtown College education is long lasting
and far-reaching because it is deeply transformative. Students
acquire new habits of mind and heartsome in the course of the
undergraduate experience, others as students grow beyond
college.

At Elizabethtown College, students are inspired and
challenged to:

Assume responsibility for their intellectual development,
personal growth and well-being. Students will learn to sharpen
their curiosity and become aware of the capabilities, strategies
and resources needed to learn.

Reason, analyze and engage in critical thinking. Students
will make, systematically evaluate, and, if necessary, refute
arguments and claimsboth their own and those of
others.

Demonstrate thoughtful and articulate communication by
applying knowledge in a variety of contexts, including writing,
speaking, listening and interpretation.

Understand the creative process and its role in human
expression, and cultivate the ability to make informed aesthetic
judgments.

Navigate diverse cultural worldviews and perspectives, with
the realization that differing frames of reference influence
analysis, communication and behavior.

Make reflective ethical decisions and act with integrity to
seek just outcomes with relationships, communities and
society.

Apply and integrate different strands of learning and
comprehend interconnections in the process of gaining knowledge
and experience.

Identify and cultivate a sense of purpose that inspires a
commitment to meaningful work in service to society.

For:

Elizabethtown College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, possession of a general education development certificate as compared to a high school diploma, or any other legally protected status. This commitment applies but is not limited to decisions made with respect to hiring and promotion, the administration educational programs and policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other College administered programs. Discrimination or harassment of any kind is strictly forbidden.